WMU takes first step toward charter schools

December 11, 1998

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The WMU Board of Trustees accepted a
resolution to exercise the University's right to become an authorizing
body for public school academies. The resolution delegates authority
to WMU President Elson S. Floyd to proceed with plans to eventually
bring charter recommendations to the trustees. The Board of Trustees
would then be asked to approve charters.

The charter recommendation also includes a position statement
that affirms the University's continued support for public schools
and vows to work with public schools as it begins granting charters.

"Charter schools need not erode support for public education,"
said Frank Rapley, dean of the WMU College of Education and former
superintendent for Kalamazoo Public Schools. "We can partner
with public schools in creating charters that provide opportunities
for all children for higher levels of learning and that offer
innovations that may currently not be available."

The position statement was the work of a committee of College
of Education faculty working with area superintendents. Superintendents
included Kay Royster, Kalamazoo Public Schools; Michael Bitar,
Battle Creek Public Schools; Pat Newby, Grand Rapids Public Schools;
James Rikkers, Portage Public Schools; Robert Spencer, Battle
Creek Lakeview Public Schools; and Al Hawkins, Covert Public Schools.

The group drafted an approach to chartering that, through partnerships,
cooperation and collaboration, will shape the character of charter
schools in the state while not adversely impacting existing public
education.

"That's the approach we're taking, which is a little different
from what other universities have done," Rapley said. "We're
more interested in partnerships with schools than simply issuing
them a charter and then letting them do whatever they want to
do as we provide oversight. We're a little more interested in
working directly with them on whatever those innovations are."

A draft of the position statement was shared with other area
superintendents and all College of Education faculty. Those other
area superintendents involved were from the Paw Paw, Marcellus,
Edwardsburg, Vicksburg, Constantine and Olivet public schools
and the St. Joseph Intermediate School District. The final statement
represents the collective thoughts of all who participated.

The statement's basic tenets stipulate that efforts must result
in the improvement of learning and achievement for all students
and express a desire to further define the character of charter
schools.

The statement also says that the University will be actively
involved in any school it grants a charter and intends to supplement
and complement public school efforts, not duplicate programs.
Any charter the University grants "must not erode existing
public education nor negatively affect existing demographics in
the district" where the school is chartered, the statement
says.

Other objectives affirm that the University will:

Support efforts and meet existing needs in public schools and
strive to address current limitations.

Involve the charter school's staff in continuing professional
development activities.

Provide staff and students with the best educational opportunities
as determined by current research.

Provide strong oversight to insure the school meets its obligations
to students and the intent of the law.

Disseminate important findings to the K-12 education community
and assist efforts to replicate successful programming within
the public schools.